


How Bitty And Parser Made The Worst Friends Over Pie(I Think?)

by bunnybopn



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Frenemies, M/M, Sex mentioned, Toxic Behavior, force bonding, rudeness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 11:41:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19061938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnybopn/pseuds/bunnybopn
Summary: Eric tried okay.





	How Bitty And Parser Made The Worst Friends Over Pie(I Think?)

**Author's Note:**

> The idea came from a post I saw a while and I just had to.
> 
> Declaimer: Ngozi owns OMG Check! Please #Hockey

Eric tried okay.

He really, really tried hard to tolerate this! At the very end he at least was trying for the sake of his love for Jack.

But come on!! 

The short southern blonde was in the kitchen of his and Jack's recently purchased cottage right off the lake, fuming as he kneaded a fresh batch of pie dough in a way that could make Dex flinch. To be perfectly honest he had no idea why this was making him so upset. He knew the game, he knew the risks that he was taking by doing this, and he was always taught to take the high road because that's what the Bittle and Carter families do! 

But Kent. Vincent. Parson. is about to make him forget all his southern hospitality!!

It all started when Jack and Parson patched up their broken friendship. 

There was a lot of tears and actual shouting happening but after about four draining hours of talk about toxic behavior and the help they both sorted out; the apologizes started and there were hugs and more crying. It was a gut retching affair that even had Eric tear up but it felt like a weight finally got lifted. Suddenly they're texting and skyping each other, and genuinely friendly at social events. Things weren't perfect between them but now they were both grown men who knew how to handle these situations maturely instead of the two scared teenagers from years ago.

With that said the problem seem to lie between Eric and Parson. 

Everyone could see this.

A blind person could sense the tension between them.

Except for Jack apparently.

Well in his defense it only seems to happen when his fiance wasn't around. Parson acted like a perfect saint around Jack and his parents but even Bob and Alicia could feel the nasty vibe that swirled around the two blondes. Eric tried very hard at the beginning. He knew that what happened between Jack and Parson was between them only but witnessing the backlash that Jack endured was enough to keep a careful distance from the Aces captain. 

You see, at the end of the day Kent Parson was a very likable person. He was very charismatic around people and knew what to say to be the life of the party without being the sole center of attentions. Even with the rocky history he had with Jack the Haus crew flocked to him and all eyes were on him. Even Eric remembered being completely taken by him at their first meeting back in sophomore year. 

However, the first time the two were left together it was like a switch had flipped with the man.

Parson had lightly started chatting with him about the season so far and took a slice of one of his pies like nothing was wrong.

Then one under tone comment.

A bite of the pie.

Another well hidden insult.

One more bite.

A completely unmistakable snide remake with full on eye contact and pearly whites that had Eric take a step back without knowing it.

Then this asshole THREW AWAY THE PIE AFTER TWO BITES and left the room!!!

"Thanks for the pie. It was really good." 

That was ringing through Eric's ears for the rest of the night.

He wanted to tell Jack about what had happened but seeing the man he loved smile so carefree for the first time in a while without his past haunting him made him stop.

Maybe it was just a fluke? Maybe he just heard him wrong? Parson might just be one of those athletes that was super serious about their diet plans that the piece was too big for him?

About two months later it happened again.

This time in front of some of the Falcs wives. When he commented that he couldn't indulge himself in one of Eric's creations, Eric did the worst thing possible.

"Well Bless. Your. Heart." Slipped out before he knew it. Thirdy's wife later told him that it looked like a cat fight was about to break out between them. However, Parson had lightly smiled back at him before thanking Snowy's girlfriend about a yoga tip she gave him but war had been declared that day.

Eric refused to be pushed around though so this feud between them would carry on down the months without a truce in sight. They developed a routine. 

He would makes his desserts like usual, Parson would be delightful. 

Nasty veiled insult would be countered by snide Southern charm. 

False pleasantry insures. Night would end. Rinse. Repeat.

As he pulled his famous Maple Apple pie out of the oven and he could hear Jack greeting the first arrivals of their house warming party Eric tried to steel his emotions. He looked around the fully loaded chef kitchen of his dreams and remembered himself crying when they finally found this perfect house. Only ten minutes from his rented bakery space down town, close to Jack's favorite running trail, and twenty minutes from the stadium.

Kent Parson was not going to ruin this.

\---------------------------------

Everything was unfolding just like Eric dreaded. 

There was Parson being the best damn party guest anyone could ask for then the moment enough people thinned out and Jack was whisked away back to the grill, he started up again. Eric was at the end of his rope in worrying about how this would affect Jack but he had enough and Parson wasn't go-!!

Out of nowhere Tater was sudden THERE and the big Russian clasp Parson on his shoulder so hard that the other man bite back a startle squawk! 

"Little Rat! How are you doing?" Tater voice boomed over the small space. His massive hand gripped the smaller man's shoulder which made Parson look even smaller and nothing short of terrified.

All Eric could do was watch and observe as the man that tormented him for half a year struggled to form coherent words by the seer presence of the menacing man.

When dinner was ready and everyone was seated Eric couldn't hold back the radiant smile on his face. Everyone would assume it was on the success and joy of being engaged and a newly home buyer but Eric switch the seating chart around before dinner was ready. As he watched Parson silently pick at his food as Tater sat next to him, even stealing food off of the Aces' captain's plate regardless of the oblivious discomfort he couldn't help but hold his glass of wine up for a toast at knowing his enemy's kryptonite.

\-----------------------------

Eric wasn't sure if he should blame himself or not but the shock really wasn't wearing off fast enough.

After finding out that Parson was afraid of Tater he made it his mission to recruit the friend in keeping the surly blonde in check. Tater never really complained about taunting the other man at any opportunity so he would literally drag the floundering man away even if he wasn't causing a problem. It wasn't until a month before the wedding when both the Falcons and Aces were sadly kicked out of the play offs that it finally reached a limit.

"WOULD YOU LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE??!!!"

The shout could be heard all around the outdoor area of the house; all eyes falling to a confused looking Tater and a red faced and upset Parson. Before anyone could make a move Parson disappeared back inside leaving a worried looking Tater behind. When Jack made his way to follow him Eric intercepted him, letting him know he'll handle it. It didn't take him long to find Parson by his sport car out in the front.

"Hey, are y-."

"Tell him to stop." He heard him choked out before Eric realized the man was in tears.

"Please tell him to leave me alone. I'll stop being an ass towards you, I swear.", was said through a fresh wave of tears. Instead of waiting for his answer Parson got in his car a speed off.

He didn't show up to the wedding.

\------------------------------------------------------

Ever since that incident Tater wasn't his usual joyous self. He still smiled big and his voices boomed around the room but it wasn't as genuine like before. When people weren't talking to him directly he was uncharacteristically quite. The team and his friends were worried about him, some even blaming Parson for whatever put him in this funk, and god did Eric feel guilty.

He had baked Tater's favorite, a big blueberry pie and had headed up to his apartment to check on him when he heard the Russian and another male arguing loudly through the door. He would usually avoid things like this because they weren't any of his business but when he heard a heart breaking sob come from what he knew without doubt belonged to his dear friend he nearly flung the door open.

What he found was a crying Ta-, no a crying Alexei Mashkov desperately holding an equally sobbing Kent Parson in the middle of the living room. When both men failed to notice their intruder Eric carefully closed the door softly before leaving the wrapped bake good on the door step.

He gracefully ignored the fact that they were nude and most likely had sex on Alexei's couch earlier.

\-----------------------------------------------------

He had kept quite this whole time about this and as he sat across from Kent, the annoyed man sighed loudly.

Jack happily sat next to him munching away at his pie and talking animatedly to Tater about the upcoming All-stars games. Watching Kent actually eating his pie for once without bitching Eric let out another, very loud and exaggerated sigh.

Kent threw his fork down in utter annoyance. "Is there something you want to say to me, Zimmerman?!" he spat out.

"Yeah. You know what? Yes I do, Mr. Parson-MASHKOV!!"

"Tsk, tsk. Both short and loud." Tater muttered as their husbands started arguing.

"Yep." Jack smiled in his glass.


End file.
